Venetian blind



Nev. 20, 3956 B. WALKER VENETIAN BLIND Filed June 6, 1955 United States Patent VENETIAN BLIND Brooks Walker, Piedmont, Calif.

Application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,219

Claims. (Cl. 160-168) This invention pertains to improvements in Venetian blinds and particularly to the method of turning the direction of the lift cords.

This invention forms a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Ser. No. 398,704.

Another feature of this invention is the support of the cord lock on the rotating tilt rod and supporting the cord lock so that it tilts with the direction of pull of the lift cords.

Another feature is a means of supporting the lift cord pulleys from the tilt rod so that the blind can be completely assembled on the tilt rod; which includes the means for rotation from the tilt cords, the support for the ladder tapes, the lift cord turns or pulleys and the cordlock. This complete assembly which will control the tilt and raising or lowering of the blind can then be assembled in the support for the tilt rod or head rail, thus expediting the assembly, disassembling for cleaning, etc., as compared to conventional Venetian blind construction.

Another feature of the invention is the compact way in which the completed blind can be packaged in a very small package compared to conventional blinds for more economical shipment. To accomplish this compact shipment it is desirable to have the cord lock and lift cord turns or pulleys capable of moving so that the top sla-t can be packaged as close to the tilt rail and head rail as possible. This feature is provided in this invention by mounting the cord lock so that it swings on its support to be packed in a horizontal position and pivoting the lift cord turns or pulleys so that they move from their normal position substantially below the tilt rail to a position approximately in contact with the tilt rail when packaged for shipment.

Another feature is the very economical means for mounting the lift cord pulley on a wire loop that is assembled over the tilt rail so as to be hinged for movement of the pulley from a position where the pulley is materially below the tilt rod when the slats are being lifted by the lift cord and still allow the pulley to swing up against or alongside the tilt rail when packaged for shipment, etc.

Another feature of the invention is the construction wherein no headrail is necessary as the blind, cords and tapes are all supported on the tilt rod which in turn can be mounted on supporting brackets on the window frame.

Other features involve the simple and inexpensive method of securing the tilt cord, ladder tape, top loops, lift cord turns or pulleys and cord stop in their relative positions lengthwise of said tilt rod.

Another feature is the simple and inexpensive method of mounting the tilt rod from the head rail or window frame.

Another feature is the mounting of side slats on wire hangers to swing about the head rail as fascias.

Oti er objects of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the accompanying specifications and claims.

I have illustrated my invention by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective drawing of 'a Venetian blind incorporating one form of the invention.

Patented Nov. 20, 1956 Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken at section 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the pulley support used in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Fig. 5 is an. enlarged perspective view of the clip used between the top slat and the top cross rung, with part of the ladder tape, cross rung and slat shown-dotted. I

Fig. 6 is an end section of the head rail and tilt rail support taken at section 6-6 of Fig. 1, withslat fascia.

added, partly cut away.

In all figures like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts.

In all figures I have shown a Venetianblind'having a,

head rail or Window frame 10 and a tilt rod 20'. Tilt rod 20 is supported on closed end'scre'w eye 11, intermediate open screw' eyes 12, and open end screw eye 12a. Tilt cord 40 and 41 is secured to tilt rod 20 by pin 42 with at least one full wrap of cord 40 and 41 around tilt rod 20 on each side of pin 42 respectively. Ladder tapes.

30 and 31 have their ends joined as by'riv'ets 31a, sewing, cementing, or other suitable means.

sleeve covering 20a under the looped sides of ladder tapes 30 and 31 respectively. Slats 5 cross rungs, such as 31a and 31b in the usual manner. I Bottom weight 40 is secured to bottom slat 5 by clip 41 which goes over bottom slat 5 and engages the weight'f 40' near the edges of slat 5. The bottom sides oftapes 30 and 31 are secured together as by rivet 30c or other suitable fastening. Cover 45 is secured to the undercut sides 40b of bottom weight 40 by side lips 45a. Lift cord 50 is secured to bottom weight 40 by passingv cord 50 through hole 41m in weight 40 and tying, a knot 50 21, which knot 50a is then nested in the space between the concave side of weight 40 and the sides of ladder tape 30. A bottom rail could be used' if desired. Clips 7 are clamped to top cross rung 30a to form a sliding connection with the edges of top slat 5, to prevent top slat 5 from climbing the edges of ladder tape sides 31 when the blind is tilted by the rotation of tilt rod 20 in the same manner as described in said co-pending application. Burs, such as 21a, are upset o-n tilt rod 20 adjacent washers 21 to keep tilt rod 20 from moving lengthwise relative to supporting screw eyes 11 at the lift end of tilt rod 20, as viewed in Fig. 1, and screw eye 12 at the right end of tilt rod 20, as also viewed in Fig. 1. This is accomplished by having washers 20 inside said screw eyes and upsets 21a inside said Washers. Washers 21 could be press fit to rod 20 and inserted to the correct spacing by the use of holding jigs. Also, ladder tapes 30 and 31 are positioned between washers 21 which have upsets 21a outside said Washers 21 which are next to said ladder tapes 30 and 31. Another washer 21 is outside upset 21a to be between said upset 21a and wire support 25 for pulley 26. Pulley 26 is the pulley for lift cord 50 and assumes a position about as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 when there is tension on cord 50. Pulley 26 can move to the dotted position, shown in Fig. 4, when being shipped for more compact packaging. Lift cord 50 and cord lock 15 is pivoted to tilt rod 2%) and are swingable about tilt rod 20, so that it can line up with the angle of pull of cord 50 when the operator is pulling cord 50 at a distance in front of the slats or to the right of the slats, as viewed in Fig. 2. Also, cord lock 15 can swing horizontally, as viewed in Fig. 2, when packaging said blind for compact shipment. The ends of the wire for wire support 25 can be joined by a loop, such as 25a, to be detachable from tilt rod 20 or cord 50.

The looped. sides" of the ladder tapes 30 and 31 are supported 'by tilt rod, 20. Tilt rod 20 is preferably roughened as by knurling (see Fig. 3) or application of a high friction coating-or are supported" by the I have shown a form of fascia that can be added for appearance and light closure in the form of slats 4. Slats 4 are similar to slats 5 except that they have no route holes but dohave. double punches 4a to receive spring clip 3. One end of clip 3 snaps over tilt rod 20 to support fascia slat 4. The other end of spring clip 3 is adapted to engage fascia slat 4 through holes 4a; By this means the fascia slats are supported from the rotatable tilt rod 20. The fascia slats can be easily snapped or removed and lie close to the ladder tape at their bottom edges in all positions of slat closure. The fascia slats can be packaged fiat with the bottom slat after removal or at the sides of the slats. The fascia can fold out when the slats are raised for minimum window obstruction when the blind is raised. The fascia can be different from the slats and cut out for the lift cord and cord lock or ride on the lift cords.

Another feature of this invention is that with this fascia construction and with the tilt rail supported from brackets mounted on the material surrounding the window, no painted head or bottom rails are needed and the various colors of slats, cords, and tapes can be used without needing the material composing the head or tilt rails, the assorted colors of heads and tilts or the tools to work the heads and tilt rails. The same colored slat material can be used for the fascia slats as well as the blind slats.

By this construction I have provided a construction by which a Venetian blind can be assembled on the tilt rod, then the tilt rod assembled in the head rail supports which can be more than two if necessary. These supports can be on a head rail or attached to the window frame or material surrounding the window. The lift cord turns or pulleys can swing close to the tilt rail for compact shipment and the cord lock swings to line up with the angle of pull of the lift cords when pulled away from the line of fall of the slats and the cord lock can swing sideways for compact packaging. The ladder tapes are given a positive positioning relative to the tilt rod. The same device (upset 21a) also positions the lift cord pulley and an increased friction over the normal surface of tilt rod 20 is provided under the ladder tapes for more positive tilting.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing 4 I embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim is my invention:

1. A Venetian blind, including a rotating tilt rod, a tilt cord lock, tilt cords, ladder tapes, slats, lift cord turns, fascia slats, said fascia slats being supported one at each side of said tilt rod, supporting brackets, each said fascia slat hanging from at least one said bracket, said bracket being supported from said tilt rod, said tilt rod being free to rotate inside said bracket while said bracket supports said fascia slats, said fascia slats being free to rotate independently relative to each other for a substantial angle of swing about said tilt rod.

2. A Venetian blind, including a rotating tilt rod, a tilt cord lock, tilt cords, ladder tapes, slats, lift cord turns, a fascia, support clips, said fascia hanging at one side of said tilt rod, said fascia hanging from said tilt rod by said clips.

3. A Venetian blind, including a rotating tilt rod, a tilt cord lock, tilt cords, ladder tapes, slats, lift cord turns, a fascia, support clips, said fascia hanging at one side of said tilt rod, said fascia hanging from said tilt rod by said clips, said fascia swingable about said tilt rod relative to said tapes.

4. A Venetian blind, including a rotating tilt rod, a tilt cord lock, tilt cords, ladder tapes, slats, lift cord turns, fascia slats, said tilt cords, slats, 'l-ift cords, lift cord turns, cord lock, fascia all supported on said rod.

5. A Venetian blind, including a rotating tilt rod, a tilt cord lock, tilt cords, ladder tapes, slats, lift cord turns,

' fascia slats, said tilt cords, slats, lift cords, lift cord turns,

cord lock, fascia all supported on said tilt rod, said tilt rod being rotated by said tilt cords relative to all other said components of said blind.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,190,884 Rosenstein Feb. 20, 1940 2,552,841 Charbonneau' May 15, 1951 2,657,747 Walker Nov. 3, 1953 

